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Tesla Discontinues Its Most Affordable Model S (engadget.com)
Tesla will be discontinuing its cheapest Model S option, the Model S 75, this Sunday. What that means is that the all-wheel-drive version -- the 75D -- will take its place as the low-end Model S sedan, currently listed at a starting price of $74,500. Engadget reports: The move to discontinue the Model S 75 was first announced by Tesla in July after it dropped the price by $5,000 a few months earlier. The removal of the model from Tesla's offerings follows its discontinuation of the Model S 60 and 60D vehicles in April, which at the time were the least expensive Model S options available. As well as streamlining its EV line and making all Model S options all-wheel-drive, knocking off the low-end Model S vehicles is also likely being done to carve out a bigger separation between the Model 3 and Model S lines. Custom orders for the Model S 75 will be taken until Sunday, September 24th and the pre-configured versions will be available for purchase until inventory runs out.
More like 100,000 cars, but I still think your generalization stands.
https://www.recode.net/2017/4/3/15160462/tesla-ford-deliveries-record-sales
Not so.
Early on, there was a 40 kWh option available. This was cancelled; those who ordered it received the 60 kWh pack, software limited to 40 kWh. In 2015, the 60 kWh model was discontinued. In 2016, the 60 kWh model was reintroduced as a software limited 75 kWh model. Apart from those specific models (the 40 kWh and 2016 and later 60 kWh models), no model S has had a software limitation on battery capacity.
You can upgrade the smaller capacity batteries to higher capacities at the workshop but it's not a cheap option. That said, if they had the 40 kWh option still available, I'd be tempted to grab that and upgrade the battery later on, as a way to save a bit of cash on the initial purchase. Moot point.
I just checked, and the remaining options are the 75D, the 100D, and the P100D. The "D" means "dual-motor"... these are the all-wheel-drive versions.
This change means Tesla can more or less stop making rear-drive-only motors (just make a few as needed for repairing already-sold rear drive cars).
I looked at the Model S ordering page, and noticed that a lot of stuff that used to be optional is now standard on the Model S. The "smart air suspension" is now standard. The upgraded stereo is no longer a standalone option, but part of a "premium upgrades package" that includes the improved cabin air filter, the better stereo, and the cold-weather package (which also used to be a stand-alone option).
Now your only options are: "premium upgrades package", "enhanced autopilot", "full self-driving", and the rear-facing child seats for the rear cargo area. And probably most people will get the "premium upgrades package", looks worth it to me... and "enhanced autopilot" and "full self-driving" are both pure software upgrades. So really there are only two options now, and one of those is the child seats.
It's just like Apple: they have streamlined their offerings, they will have less to keep track of.
And as noted in the article, this also segments the Model S a bit above the Model 3.
P.S. IMHO Tesla's "most affordable Model S" would be a CPO (a Certified Pre-Owned car, i.e. a used car bought directly through Tesla). Tesla still sells those; you can still get one with the 60 battery if you like. I just checked and the least expensive CPO car it offered me was $40,800 (a 60 battery rear-drive car).
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
For those who are curious:
G37 S 0-60 ($37k): 4,9s
Q50 0-60 ($45k): 5,1s (Q50 Red Sport 400 ($58k): 4,5s)
Model 3 SR ($35k): 5,6s
Model 3 LR ($44k): 5,1s
Model 3 SR/LR with performance package: Announced, but performance and pricing TBD.
Given the typical torque-power curves of ICEs and EVs, the two ICEs would probably match the Model 3 variants somewhere around 0-40 to 0-60, with the ICEs winning beyond that and the Model 3s winning below that. As for the performance Model 3s, who knows? Obviously they won't have it threaten a P100D, but I'd wager that for the LR it'd go for somewhere in the 3,5-4,2s ballpark, and add around $10k to the price; it's cheaper to up an EV's accel than a gasoline vehicle's.
All we want to do is eat your brains.